Samantha D’Agostino-Pinto, Krista Munroe-Chandler

Psychological skills training (PST) is commonly implemented in sport to enhance performance and well-being through the structured and deliberate practice of psychological skills (e.g., goal setting, imagery) (Munroe-Chandler & Hall, 2025). However, considerable variability exists in how PST programs are designed, implemented, and evaluated in both research and applied settings. Moreover, very few studies within the sport psychology domain adequately evaluate their PST programs for effectiveness. Therefore, to ensure the rigor of evidence-based PST research in sport, the strength of program evaluation needs to improve, and greater insight is needed to understand the barriers and facilitators that influence PST effectiveness, as well as how effectiveness is determined beyond performance outcomes. The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions of effective PST programming from the perspectives of athletes and Certified Mental Performance Consultants (CMPCs). This qualitative study employs semi-structured interviews with two participant groups: (a) athletes with prior experience participating in PST programs and (b) CMPCs with experience designing, implementing, and evaluating PST programs. Interviews focus on perceived facilitators and barriers to PST delivery, characteristics of effective programs, and strategies to assess PST effectiveness. Interviews will be audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2019). Findings from this study will provide insight to the theoretical, relational, and organizational factors that shape PST program effectiveness, and inform the development of comprehensive and meaningful evaluation strategies that capture the impact of PST programs on performance and well-being in sport.